Israel's attacks justified

The current fighting between Israel and Gaza should be no surprise. The people of Gaza set this conflict in motion when they elected Hamas members as their political leaders.

Hamas refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist and is a terrorist organization. Being elected to a position of political power did nothing to dissuade Hamas from its murderous path. If anything, the legitimacy because of their election emboldened the Hamas leaders’ actions. They are now reaping the fruits of their labor.

Naturally there are a number of people who have condemned Israel for attacking Gaza. Some people have condemned Israel and Hamas for this fight. A few people, and even a few Arab journalists, have had the courage to swim against the tide and blame Hamas for this war.

However, champions of Israel are rare. While I doubt the world will take note, I put myself in that latter category.

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The Palestinians of Gaza are getting exactly what they deserve. It’s tragic, but they elected a bunch of terrorists as their government. These same terrorists continued to mortar and rocket Israeli civilians, regardless of the protests of the Israeli government.

Well, the idiots leading Hamas decided to stick their finger in the wringer washing machine one time too many — I know about this because I stuck my finger in a wringer washing machine one time too many and screamed while the rollers wrung my arm up to the elbow. What did they think would happen? Maybe a better question is did they really care?

Israel is perfectly justified in attacking Gaza. Frankly their restraint shows how much Israel wants to avoid condemnation around the world. The Israelis are trying not to kill civilians. I hesitate to say innocent civilians because these civilians, minus the children, of course, elected Hamas to lead them.

Innocence doesn’t really describe the status of the Palestinian majority. Hamas targeted Israeli civilians with their rocket and mortar attacks. There is a clear difference between the two sides’ targeting intent if anyone cares to notice.

Of course, we also recently learned that former Georgia Democrat Representative and Green Party Presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney joined an attempt to land medical and other humanitarian supplies in Gaza. The yacht on which she was traveling either rammed or was rammed by an Israeli naval vessel.

I suppose the side you support in this war determines who you believe did the ramming. Fortunately, the yacht limped away to Lebanon without sinking and the resulting loss of life. Were the incident not so dangerous it would be comical.

When I hear someone doubt Israel’s right to attack Gaza I wonder what they’d think if the good people of Juarez, Mexico, started firing rockets and mortar rounds at El Paso, Texas. I doubt most Americans would say let them do it.

Folks in El Paso certainly wouldn’t and back in 1916 we invaded Mexico because of cross-border attacks. Maybe some people forget, but then they probably haven’t been threatened lately. From my seat, I send the people of Israel my fervent hope for success. Sometimes I think they are more American than many of us.